Nic says listening to Proclaimers as a youngster helped her achieve political dream

Tunes like Letter From America and Cap In Hand, about the demise of Scottish industry and the brothers’ hatred of Westminster rule, galvanised her political awakening a year after she joined the SNP at just 16.

Speaking in a new BBC documentary celebrating The Proclaimers’ 30th anniversary — which airs later this week ­— Nicola recalled how 1987 hit Letter From America, with its references to Irvine, Linwood, and Bathgate, became her anthem.

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She said: “Letter From America came out at a time when I was getting really involved in politics, so it wasn’t just that my home town was in it, which in itself was quite a big thing, but it was also that it spoke about something about my country, which was motivating me to get involved in politics.

“That song is the anthem to my teenage years. Their songs over the last 30 years have been the soundtrack to Scotland’s political journey.

“That has made the politics more accessible at times to younger generations, and brought politics alive, not just with Letter From America, but with songs like Cap In Hand, both in simple terms and beautifully lyrical terms.

“Telling Scotland’s story in that way was hugely important, politicising — with a small ‘p’ — a generation of young Scots like me.”